Machine for dressing staves



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN MINER AND SILAS MERRICK, OF FALLSTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

MACHINE FOR DRESSING STAVES.

Specification of Letters Patent No.

T 0 all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that we, JOHN MINER and SILAs Mannion, of Fallston, in thecounty of Beaver and State of-Pennsylvania, have invented new and usefulImprovements in the Construction, Combination, and Application ofMachinery for Manufacturing Casks, Barrels, Kegs, &c.; and we do herebydeclare that the following is a full and exact description of theconstruction and operation of the same, reference being had to theannexed drawings of the same, making part of this specification.

Figure 3 is a top view of the machine for chamfering the ends, crossingand cutting the staves to the required length; also a top view of themachine for jointing the staves. Also a top view of the machine forcutting heading (not claimed). Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the part ofthe machine used for chamfe-ring the ends, crossing and cutting thestaves to the required length and at a single operation: and the machinefor jointing the staves. Fig. 5 is a sect-ion represent-ing theconnecting rod L cam K, post M, double crank e, &c. Fig. 6 is a sectionsho-wing the arm C2 crossing tools, &c. Fig. 7 is a section showing barV and posts 7i, z., z.. Fig. 9 is a transverse section showing lthecurved levers N, inclined axles 3. Fig. 10 end of the reel or planingmachine of whicha top view is shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 11 is a longitudinalsection of the bed piece C3. Fig. 12 is a perspective view showing oneof vertical flanges J5 to which the box is attached-also one of the castiron frames Jt--part of gallows frame It, lever N4 one of the posts P3,spring catch Q3, inclined plane O, &c.

The planing machine, F ig. 3 The planing machine is att-ached to astrong frame of suitable size, strength, and material, said frame beingused in common for the cross ing and jointing machines, Sac., hereafterdescribed. Two way bearers B B Fig. 3 are firmly attached horizontallyand parallel with each other, below the top of the main frame. Two castor wrought iron parallel ways C C turned or dressed true, and of equalsize, are placed or secured by flanches, in such a manner as to projectentirely within and above the upper inside corner of the ways B B. Theplane D is made of cast iron, abo-ut one foot in length hollow orconcave of proper curve, and sulicient width to plane the entire outsideof the stave.

4,267, dated November 12, 184:5.

It is rmly secured (edge of the bit upward) to a carriage E made of hardwood and nicely fitted to slide on the ways C C. On the opposite side ofthe main frame A is placed a strong iro-n shaft F secured to the mainframe in boxes having on one end a large balance wheel G in which is awrist G3 firmly secured to receive one end of a pitman H; the outer endof said pitman being attached to the aforesaid plane carriage E. On theouter end of the shaft F is a large cog wheel I which gears into a smallpinion J on main shaft Z. On the shaft F and between the cog wheel I andbalance wheel G is placed a cam K see Figs. 3 and 5 a connecting rod Lpassing through a mortise in a post M Fig. 5, attached to main frame andnear the cam K the other end extending forward parallel with the pitmanH', is attached to the lower end of the double crank e Fig. 5, which issecured by bo-xes to the under side of the way bearer B the crank onoutside of way bearer being horizontal, and the one on the inside beingperpendicular, or at right angles with each other. On the wrist of thehorizontal crank is a perpendicular pitman f Fig. 5 extending upwardthrough a mortise for support the top of said pitvman f coming againstthe under side of the carriage, or frame, N, containing the reel P whichis made of two cast iron heads with lanches P`1 projecting inward asuitable distance on which to bolt firmly four bed pieces P P P Pwhereon the staves are placed for planing. The diameter and length ofreel P should be the same as the diameter and height of the cask,barrel, or keg to be constructed. Grudgeons or pins are placed in orcast on the centers of the heads to form a bearing on which the reelrevolves, secured by boxes to the frame N andplaced cent-ral above theplane D. On the outer end of the bed pieces P are rmly secured sto-ps QQ the endsbeing turned inward and projecting above the bed pieces,suflicient to hold the stave. are placedtsprings R R t-he top beingformed the same (as described for the other end) and all being sharp andcross filed so as to form teeth to hold the stave securely by thestrength of the spring. Two posts Zx Z3 Fig. 10, are secured near theouter end of and fixed to the way bearer, the caps of which extendinghorizontally to the frame A Iare of suitable heights to form a base .Onthe back end or bed for the carriage or frame N to rest on. A cross barZ4 Fig. 10 is bolted to the posts Z3 Z3 in such a position that theforward end of the reel P will be against a block or projection h2 onsaid cross bar Z2, when in labor, to receive and resist the force of thecut.

On one edge of the bed pieces P and near each end, are guides or staysP2 to put the edge of the staves against parallel with the bed pieces.The frame or carriage N is attached on one side to the said horizontalcap of the post Za by means of butt or other hinges. The other sidebeing so constructed that the cam K and double crank e before described,will raise the frame and reel so as to clear the plane when receding,and again let the weight on the plane when required for labor.

Mamie/f of' using this madrina-Motion being given to the machine, withthe hands place the edge of the stave against the guides or stays, pressthe end against the spring R the other end coming in against the stop Qthe spring and stop holding the stave to its position, turn the reel Pand perform the same operation with the rest,`

removing t-he.planed stave and replacing another, when the machine is inmotion, the plane carriage moving back and forth hori` Zontally andlongitudinally and the knife taking off a shaving from the convex sideof the stave at each movement of the carriage.

Figs. 3, 4, 6, 7, show the machine for chamfering the ends crossing andcutting the staves to required length. This machine is attached to andsupported by the main frame, on the same side with the planing machine.It consists first of two cast iron head blocks A2 A2 of suiiicientheight and strength, and distance from each other (parallel and at rightangles with the main frame) to receive in a nicely fitted box, at thetop, the extreme ends of a strong iron shaft B2lat a proper distancefrom each end of said shaft, to give the length of stave required, andbetween the head blocks A2 A2 are secured by means of keys or wedges twostrong cast iron arms C2 C2 projecting from the shaft B2 a distanceequal to half the diameter of the cask, barrel or keg to be constructed.The extreme ends of said arms C2 C2 are to be so fitted and prepared asto receive a cutter or bit D2 D2 (projecting forward of the arms asuiiicient distance to prevent clogging) for chamfering or beveling theends of the staves. Also crossing tools B2 B2 Figs. 4;, 6 of the usualform passing through a mortise in the back part of the arms C2 which armor projection extends below the back end of the cutter or bit D2, beforedescribed, and is secured by means of a screw, or wedge so as to beeasily taken out, and again replaced with precision for the purpose ofsharpening. Also sharp points or knives g2 for cutting the stave to thedesired length are secured in the same manner, and portion of the armwith the crossing tools before described.

Springs F2 F2 are attached to t-he arms also, and so constructed as tocatch the stave after it is completed, and carry it back, off of the bedpieces, when it drops to the floor below through an aperture left forthat purpose in the main frame. A guide G2 is also attached to the shaftB2 or arms C2 C2 projecting downward and 4forward of the arms a suitabledistance to .put the end of the stave against,while passing it into itsproper place on the bed pieces H2 H21H2. Near one end of the shaft B2and projecting fromit is an arm I2 firmly attached'to and pro-H jectingback from said shaft and at right angles to the arms C2 C2, to lwhich isattached a pitman J2, perpendicularly, the lower end being attached tothe crank K2 on theinner end of the shaft M2 placed below the top ormainframe. A cog wheel L2 of as large size as will freely run is firmlysecured on the shaft M2. Immediately back of and parallel with saidshaft, is a shaft N2 having on one end a small pinion O2 and on theother a pulley or drum F2 which receives motion from a pulley Q2 onthemain shaft a, which is placed near the opposite side of the frame,and running parallel with the shaft M2, and N2. A tightening pulley RFig. 4 of the usual form and construction is attached to the main frame,under the belt passing from the main shaft e', to the shaft N2. Thedesign is to give the main shaft 160 motions and the crank shaft 20pel.1 minute.

On the crank shaft M2 and opposite the center of the shaft B2 is placeda cam S2 a double forked perpendicular pitman T passing down on eachside of cam S2. The cam working between the forks and also passing downon each side of crank shaft M2, for the purpose of keeping the pitman inits proper position. The top end of the pitman which extends above themain frame, is attached by a working joint to a crooked lever u, whichextends forward toward the shaft B2 and at right angles tothe same. Thelever u being attached in a working position to a fulcrum 2 attached tothe main frame, about the center thereof transversely, the forward endof said lever from the fulcrum being raised by bending it upward andthen over` in a half-circle as at u2 to admit the stave to pass back ofthe bed pieces. On the forward or` bent end of the lever u and u2 isfirmly fixed a cross bar e Figs. 3, 4, 7 directly under and parallelwith the shaft B2. Three posts Il. Fig. 7 being attached perpendicularlyto the cross bar o. The lower end being so formed as to fit the circlerequired, and the center posts being enough longer than the end posts togive the bulge required for a cask, barrel, or keg. The whole forming ajack or lever by which the stave is held in the same position it wouldif placed in a Cask, barrel etc. when being chamfered crossed and cut toproper length. The bed pieces H2 H2 H2 Fig. 3 are firmly secured to themain frame in a proper position, the second one being immediately underthe posts and the outside ones far enough apart to admit the point whichcuts off the end of the stave to pass close by its side and the cuttersor bits D2 D2 for chamfering on top, directly over and parallel withthem, they being a hollow segment of a circle corresponding to that ofthe stave, with an offset to hold the stave from being forced out by theoperation of the machine.

Manner of using the machina- Pressing down the lever of the tighteningpulley, causes the shaft a to move the crank shaft M2, the cam S2operates on the forked perpendicular pitman, which raises the back endof the lever U pressing the jack V firmly upon the stave, at the sametime the cutters on the arms C2 C2 move forward across the staveperforming their oliice, the springs F2 yielding and slipping over thestave and dropping down below the same the cam s2 having passed halfaround and come to the short radius, the jack is raised and the springsF2 catch and carry the stave back (with the retrogade motion of thearms) o' of the bed pieces H2 at the same time the operator passing astave in, alternately with each motion of the machine, on the curved bedpieces H2.

Mach/ne for joz'ntz'ng stares with circular saws, Figs. 3, 4, .9.-Thismachine consists of two cast iron ways A3 A3 (connected by two or threecross-ties at equal distances from each other, with the edges upward,and firmly fastened to the main frame by bolts on the opposite side tothe crossing machine and on the same end of the main frame. The top edge.of one way being dressed in form of a V so as to receive one side ofthe carriage B3 and cause it to move with accuracy. The carriage B3 isof cast iron of sufficient length for the stave required, and nicelyfitted to the ways A3. A

bed piece of hard wood c3 of the length and width of stave required, thetop being made the shape of the inside of the stave when occupying itsposition in the barrel) and is firmly secured to the carriage B3 byscrews o-r otherwise. On the forward end is a hook D3 the same width andcurve of the bed piece with the top end turned inward so as to form alip or flanch projecting above the surface of the bed piece sufficientlyto receive one end of the stave. At the back end are two posts E4 E3secured to the car riage B3 and extending upward a suitable distance toreceive the lever F3 having a 'quarter circle cam formed on its fulcrumend, the surface o-r edge of which is concave, that is to saytransversely the segment of a circle equal to the diameter of the cask,barrel, keg, &c., to be const-ructed the power bee ing applied at rightangles tothe fulcrum F 2 for pressing the stave down upon the bed pieceC3. A strongcast iron gallows head block I4 bolted to, and at rightanglesV With the ways A3-the cross beams, to which is firmly secured bybolts, three fourths of a strong cast iron rectangular frame J4 J",having flanches J3 projecting outward and upward, on, and at rightangles with, the

open end, so as to form a basis or support on which is secured by meansof bolts (and movable at pleasure) boXes vl nicely fitted to receive thebearing of the circular saw shafts K3 K3 o-n which the saws are securedin the usual way as close to the inner shoulder of shaft as may be. Theshaft should. be a trilie short between the shoulders to permit ift tomove slightly endwise and the bearings long enough to protrudethemselves through the boXes slightly at each end of the shaft, thewhole being so construct-ed that the plane of the saws will correspondwith the desired bevel of the edge of the stave.

= The frames J4 containing the saws are connected at the inside boxes bymeans of a cross bar L3 Fig. 9. A perpendicular steel wedge M4 Fig. 9with a mortise lin the upper end and secured to the cross bar L3 by abolt M5 which passes through the oblong mortise therein and -movable atpleasure,

passes down between the ends of the saw center p of hardened steel onthe perpen.

dicular portion thereof in a range with the saw shaft, etc., and on thetop of the side pieces of carriage B3, atzthe forward end thereof, areinclined planes o 0 secured by bolts, and in a range with the sides ofthe carriage B3 and with the insides of the posts P3 P3 Fig. 4c; whichposts have an open mortise in top of each sufficient in height and sizeto receive the horizontal part of the levers N, N3. These posts P3 arefirmly secured to the main frame, in a vertical position. On each sideof the ways A3 under the levers NtN4 on each po-st is a spring catch Q3Figs. t and 9 so constructed as to hold the levers l 3 N4 in theirposition when raised by the inclined planes or arms O O. A stop Q1 isfastened to each side of the back end of the carriage B3 so as to forcethe spring catch from its position, and cause the levers N4 N4 to dropwhen the carriage has passed through and the stave has been completed.

The design of the levers Ni thus caused to drop is to let the sawsrecede from the stave while the carriage is being drawn back, and againforce the shafts together against the steel wedge M4 by means of theinclined plane O, before labor. On the frame and back from the saws aretwo posts R3 R3 of suitable height and distance from each other for thecarriage to pass between. On the top ofrwhich is a shaft S3 with thepulleys T3 T3 for driving the saws and one smaller driving pulley U3receiving a belt from the main shaft.

Mode of using this machina-A driving belt being put upon the drivingpulley U3 gives motion to the machine. The end of the stave is then putunder the hook D3 at the forward end of bed piece C3 with hollow sidedown and edge against the guide G5 and the rear end against thev guideG4; by forcing the handle of the lever F3 over against the back of thestave, causes the stave to bend over the bed piece C3 to its propershape for having the bulge formed thereon as it passes between the saws.The operator then with his hand, moves the carriage B3 forward; thestave coming in con tact with the saws as it is passed through betweenthem the bulge is formed on its sides. When the stave has passedthrough, the stop Q removes the spring catches Q3 from the levers N4 N4and causesthem to drop and the saws to recede from the edge o-f thestave. Then draw the carriage B3 back to the starting point, causing theinclined plane or arm O to raise the levers N* N4 to their formerconnections with the spring catches Q3, with the hand now turn back thelever F3 and the stave (being completed) is relieved from its confinedposition and removed and the bed prepared for the insertion of anotherstave to be treated in a similar manner.

The guide or gage G4 is designed to be raised to a perpendicularposition for the purpose of placingthe edge of the stave against it atthat end of the carriage, or bed piece. At the other end is the guide G5extending upward for the same purpose (to wit) to put the edge of thestave against at that or the forward end. Both being so constructed thatwhen the stave to be jointed is put upon the bed it will be parallelwith the bed piece and at right angles with the crozer-it being crozedbefore jointing.

The post P7 or arm is for the purpose of forcing the gage from itsperpendicular position to a horizontal one without the aid of the tenderor operator; for the reason that it might at times be neglected by himand in that casethe saw on that side would strike the gage.

The right angled plate G3 sustains the gage G4, and to which the latteris attached by a pivot on which it turns. The plate G3, as well as thegage plate G5, is made with an oblong slit or opening to allowit to bemoved toward or from the bed over the shank of a set screw which holdsit in the required position.

`What we claim as our invention and desire to secure by Letters Patentis-w l. The combination of the reel P with the hinged carriage N forholding and turning the staves to be planed as described.

2. We also claimthe combination of the apparatus for crozing,chamfering, and cutting the staves to their required lengths as hereindescribed-to wit the lever u with its holding arms h, the holding bedsH2 the swinging arms C2 cutters D2 E2 G2 and discharging springs F2varranged and operated substantially as set forth.

3. We likewise claim the arrangement of the circular saws K on theinclined sliding shafts K3 for jointing the staves to the requiredbevel, in combination with the in clined planes or arms O, for renderingthe apparatus self acting as described.

JOI-IN MINER.

SILAS MERRICK.

Witnesses: A

J AMES CARUTHERS, J osEPH T. PUGH.

